Sword Art Online: Sins of Murder
by Shamaj
Summary: You know what they say: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". But how would you react if your "friend" turned out to be a member of the Laughing Coffin murder guild? The infamous Red Eye X has turned himself in, begging for redemption. Kirito and Asuna are conflicted: should they forgive a tormented soul with a broken past? Or let him wallow in his own misery?
1. Chapter 1: The Guilt of Sin

**Chapter I: The Guilt of Sin**

 _X's POV, floor 1, Black Iron Palace_

I was tired. So very tired. Tired of killing, tired of fighting, tired of doing what I _knew_ was wrong. Just…tired.

"Why do I keep doing this?" I asked myself as I walked towards the Black Iron Palace gates. "What's wrong with me?"

We treated it like a game, _I_ treated it like a game. That's what it was right? Sword Art Online, the hot new VRMMO that used state of the art virtual reality gear. A world in its own right. A reality outside of reality. But, it was a reality that ten thousand players would soon come to hate. As it turns out, once the game begins, the only way for it to end is to either beat the boss on the 100th floor, or die trying. Who could have known that if you die in the game, you die in the real world. Since the games official launch, four thousand players met their maker and were murdered. Murder...what an ugly word. The very sound of it leaves a terrible ringing in my ear, like a bug that's crawling deeper and deeper into my mind. But I had to own that. After what I've done, I deserve whatever came my way. After all, that's what I was; that's _all_ I was…A murderer.

As I approached the gate of the palace I was stopped by two soldiers from the Army. The Army is technically a guild, but I guess the name just brings some kind of comfort from the real world. People would do anything to hang on to their sanity. Their spears were pointed directly at me, but I wasn't bothered by them one bit. They could never hope to kill me in a safe zone, not unless we dueled. But I wasn't there looking for a fight.

"Stop! State your business!" The guard on the right bellowed.

I stood there frozen in place, staring at the ground. What should I say? It's not every day someone like me approaches a massive jailhouse, and there's no guarantee they'll even believe me if I told them I came in peace. Then again, a cloaked figure covering his face with a hood has no business here, not unless he was looking for trouble. And even if he wasn't, his getup certainly wouldn't win him any brownie points.

"Speak up!" The guard on the left yelled. "If you don't have any business here, I suggest you beat it!"

"Hold on Terrik," The guard on the right said, "You see that? He's got an orange marker above his head…He's a player killer!"

My hands trembled. Out of fear or anticipation, I couldn't tell, but they trembled never the less. Thoughts raced through my mind like the Grand Prix. After what seemed like an eternity, I managed to move my arm towards the sword that was sheathed on my back. I slowly grabbed the hilt and drew my blade. The black steel shimmered in the sunlight and gave off an uneasy dark aura only visible to me. The legendary Reaper Sword; a blade that increases the users ATK points by 10 if they kill a player, but with a price: The user is never allowed to equip other blades until they're either killed or someone else accepts it as a gift. A cursed blade full of malice and evil. The guards tensed up, ready for a fight, but I shook my head.

"I'm not here to fight you." I said calmly.

"Yeah?" The guard on the right responded, "Then what the hell are you doing here with that sword in your hand murderer?"

I shook my head once more and threw the blade towards the guards feet. The clang of metal and stone echoed out into the sky above and the guards looked at the sword, and then at me, utterly confused. I grabbed the rim of my hood and hesitantly started to lift it away from my face.

 _"Should I do this?"_ I thought to myself. _"It's not too late to just turn and run...to just get out of here and never show your face again."_

No, this was the right thing to do. No matter how much I hated it, I had to do it, and atone for what I've done. I gritted my teeth in anticipation, and lifted the hood completely off of my head, revealing my red eye and spiky jet black hair.

"My name is X...and I was once with the murder guild known as Laughing Coffin. I've come to turn myself in."

 _X's POV, Inside Black Iron Palace_

It came as a shock to everyone who heard the news. A Laughing Coffin guild member willingly getting himself captured. I wasn't surprised at the reactions I got though. Some guards spat and jeered at me, others thought I was a part of some plan to relay information to other Laughing Coffin members as part of some future surprise ambush. I don't blame any of them.

I walked between four armed guards, shackled with anklets that connected my armlets by heavy steel chains. My gear stripped from me and replaced with rags. Even the cursed sword was taken. Even though they couldn't lift the curse, they could still keep it locked up. Even without being in my inventory, the swords curse would not allow me to equip any other weapon, sword, spear, hammer, you name it. I was led down a long hallway. The cells were packed full of the meanest Player Killers known. I looked to my left into the cell. A skinny but capable man with an evil smile stared back at me.

"Well, well, well. Red Eye X graces us with his presence it seems!"

I shook my head.

"Don't go by that name anymore Maddox. It's just 'X' now."

Maddox snickered and sneered, as if he believed every word I just said was a lie. Maddox was a sadistic psychopath. Like most people thrown in here, Maddox is a Player Killer. He took out some poor low-level player early on in the game and took all his items. Rumor has it that Maddox sold the items for a decent chunk of change and used the money to buy the silence of the victims friends. It didn't matter though, Maddox ended up in here three days after the incident anyway.

I turned away as I was pushed forward by a guard from behind me.

"Keep it moving punk!"

As we went deeper and deeper into the palace, it grew colder and colder. The only source of light coming from the torches that hung from the wall. We came to a stop at an empty cell. A guard was standing there with the door swung wide open, a heavy ax in his hand.

"Here we are, all nice and cozy for someone like you." He teased. "Go on in and check it out. I'm sure you'll be pleased with how we set the place up."

I walked under the frame of the cell door and took in the look of my new cell. It was a small room with a torn and tattered mat in corner, and a tiny hole; a sad excuse for a window that barely lit up the room. I took a step forward and suddenly felt the force of a large, metal plated shoulder in my back.

"Get in there!" The guard with the ax yelled as he shoulder blocked me into the cell.

I crashed to the ground, tangled in chains.

"Settle in and get comfy kid. You're going to be here for a long time."

The guard slammed the cell door shut, and left along with my escorts. I was alone. No one in any of the cells around me. Just me, by myself. After the echo of the guards footsteps and the clang of their heavy armor and weapons faded, there was dead silence, save the occasional drip of water. There was an eerie darkness about the room. A darkness that would make the sanest man lose his mind within the first week. I crawled over to the torn mat and bunched myself up into a ball, burying my face in my knees. This place was a true nightmare.

"What should I expect?" I asked myself, "It's what I deserve."

 **END CHAPTER 1**

 **HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE FIRST CHAPTER! IT'S BEEN A HELLUVA LONG TIME SINCE I WORKED ON ANYTHING, SO ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE APPRECIATED VERY MUCH! BE EASY AND HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! ~SHAMAJ**


	2. Chapter 2: Pitiless Sin

_**CHAPTER II: PITILESS SIN**_

 _Kirito's POV,_ _Floor 71, Inn_

They just don't stop. Time in and time out they slaughter innocent players like cattle. And for what? They know exactly how dangerous this game is, what it means to die in here, and yet they just won't stop. Or maybe, just maybe, they really do believe it's all just a big joke and aren't aware of the consequences of their actions. Virtual reality gives you the chance to reinvent yourself after all; be someone you're not, and act like an entirely different person than in real life. It doesn't make any sense. I stared at the report sent to me by Asuna.

"Another killed off..." I sighed.

That's the fourth scouting agent killed by the Laughing Coffin murder guild. For months the Knights of the Blood Oath and myself have tried to put a stop to the Laughing Coffin, a guild made for one purpose and one purpose only: To kill as many players they can without mercy. It's bad enough that we lose people in boss raids, now we must deal with player killing psychopaths.

I sat back in my chair and sighed. It was a long day. We had barely cleared the 70th-floor boss and already we're having to deal with more trouble.

"Geez, what the hell am I supposed to do now?"

As I sat back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling, a little white box appeared in front of me, the words "New Message" scrawled across the center. A tiny white envelope sat at the bottom, waiting to be opened.

"A new message?" I said, "It's from someone I don't recognize...Should I even open it?"

Usually when I got a message from someone I didn't know, it was never a good sign, and the last thing I needed right now was more trouble. I stared at the box hesitantly. If I opened it, I knew trouble would be inevitable. But if anyone knew me at all, they'd know I would eventually let my curiosity take over. I clicked the accept button and opened the message.

 _Urgent message from the Army_

 _This is Lieutenant Landeral of the Army. We request your immediate presence at the Black Iron Palace! As of 0900 hours ago, a Laughing Coffin Guild member has been incarcerated in our facility. We would request that all high-level players of the Assault team, as well as high-rank officers of the Knights of the Blood Oath guild be present in this emergency meeting!_

I nearly fell back in my chair! How did a Laughing Coffin member get captured!? Those guys were masters at stealth and sneak skills, and the one thing they'd never do, is let themselves be captured. They'd rather die than be imprisoned. I nearly fell out of my chair. News like this no doubt reached Asuna by now. I struggled to run and type out my message to Asuna, telling her to meet me at the Town of Beginnings on the first floor.

"A captured Laughing Coffin member is huge! We can get an edge on their tricks and secrets and put a stop to them once and for all!"

I burst through the inn doors and raced down the street towards the teleport gate. I had to see this for myself. It's unreal, but it's better than sitting around doing nothing.

 _X's POV_

 _Floor 1, Black Iron Palace_

It was cold and damp in this cell. There was barely enough sunlight from the tiny window to see my own hands, and the stench of mold filled the air. If SAO wasn't entertaining, it was detailed down to the last pixel. I sat there in my cell for days, unmoving and unflinching. In any other VRMMO like this, my account would simply be suspended for a few days. All I'd have to do is log out and wait until my avatar's ban was up. I could go about my day being a normal person, not worrying about any consequences until I was ready to log back in. But since there's no developer team monitoring players, and I obviously can't log out, my sentence is unofficial, and therefore has no time limit to how long I spend in jail. I've never been in jail before in the real world. I didn't realize how it must have felt for all the people who have. Time seems to stand still when you're imprisoned.

There were guards all over my cell, switching watch duty as they go and taking a ready stance. I still don't understand why they think weapons are necessary.

"Uh...excuse me." I said, breaking the long silence.

The guard looked at me with cold, merciless eyes. No doubt he hated my guts.

"What the hell do you want murderer?" He barked.

"Well uh...don't you think the spears and swords are a bit...overkill? I mean we are in a safe zone so it's not like you can kill me. And I am locked up behind these bars with shackles, so there's not much I could do either."

The guard chuckled without so much as looking in my direction.

"Heh…Sure, we'll all just put out weapons away. Would you like us to bring you anything while we're at it? Maybe a hot cup of tea or a book to read?"

The guard chuckled to himself. There was a long silence until he slightly turned to my direction.

"Just where the hell do you get off anyway?" he asked. "You murderous scum. You have some nerve thinking you can tell me what I should and shouldn't do, knowing damn well why you're here. What makes you think you deserve anything other than what you're getting now? Hell, even this cell is too good for you."

I looked at the floor.

"You're lucky we _are_ in a safe zone! If it were up to me, I'd leave your ass stranded out there with a hoard of monsters to do you in!"

He was right. I don't exactly have a great reputation with the people of SAO. How could I? I guess it was kind of stupid for me to make such requests. I had no right to.

"You're right..." I said, "I'm sorry."

The guard clenched his teeth. He whirled around and slammed his palm into the cell door, the loud clang of metal echoed through the hall.

"You're sorry!?" The guard growled, "Just how many people have you killed anyway!? Were you sorry when you were out slaughtering them!? People with friends and family waiting for them bedside when they got home!? Were you sorry when you looked them in their terrified eyes!? Did you _even_ look them in the eyes!?"

I couldn't answer even though I knew what he was saying was all true. It's more like I _couldn't_ answer. The guilt tore at my very being. And if I were in his shoes, I'd probably feel the same way.

"You look at me when I'm talking to you!" The guard screamed.

"That's enough Marcos." Said an unfamiliar voice.

The guard turned around and sighed. He glanced back at me once more with steely eyes filled with hatred and pain. I must've killed someone he knew...I wonder who.

"Lieutenant Landeral, I've completed my watch tour, permission to take leave sir?"

Landeral nodded.

"Permission granted. You are dismissed Sergeant."

The guard picked up his spear and stormed off, checking through the other cell doors before disapearing into the shadows of the hallway. I kept my head down, but I could tell from the sound of his voice that Landeral was not a person I should mess with.

"On your feet prisoner." Landeral ordered.

I slowly stood from the ground, keeping my eyes glued to the floor.

"Come here boy! To the cell door!"

I inched forward. I wasn't sure what was going to happen at this point. Maybe they'd sentence me to death and leave me stranded in a high-level dungeon like the guard said. Maybe they'd lock me up here for the rest of the game until it was cleared, or everyone else died leaving me to rot for all eternity while my real body was barely kept alive on life support. Or maybe they'd turn me into the authorities once the game was cleared and let them decide my fate. Either way, I deserved it.

Landeral, with his heavy booming voice barked at me.

"Lift your head boy! If you're going to be treated like a man, then you'd better act like one! Head up, now!"

I lifted my head and met Landeral's gaze. He was a stocky man, muscular and proud looking. His face housed a scruffy looking goatee, and his harsh blue eyes screamed "I've seen battle like no one has seen before". This man was definitely not someone I wanted to anger.

"So, it is you...Red Eye X. I heard an infamous LC guild member was being held up here. I didn't expect it to be you though."

I shook my head.

"Just X." I muttered. "I don't go by Red Eye anymore sir."

Landeral scoffed.

"What's with the sir charade? You talk as if we are equals here, as if I'm a man you respect. Well let's make a few things clear. You are not my subordinate, and I am not your friend. You are a prisoner, and I am your warden. I say jump, you say how high. You do not deserve the satisfaction of giving me or anyone else respect, nor will you get any yourself. So, cut the crap Red Eye, and let me get this over with as fast as possible."

I sighed. I should've figured this would be the treatment I would get. I should have known better.

"So, what do you want?" I said, "If it's to make some kind of deal in order to find out about the other guild members, don't bother, I came here willingly, and this is where I choose to stay."

Landeral laughed. It was a booming laugh, the kind that could topple mountains within seconds.

"Ha!" He bellowed, "You think you get a choice of where you go? You didn't have to tell me where you'd stay, that's a mutual understanding that you and I have. I'm here to take you to interrogation boy. You're going to answer my questions, whether you want to or not. Now step back so I can open the door."

I did as I was told and took a step back. The heavy steel door swung open. Landeral looked even bigger without the bars in the way. The hulking man walked into the cell and grabbed my arm tightly, slapping shackles to my wrist and his own. No way was I going anywhere with this massive boulder of a man.

"Let's go boy."

With a heavy arm, Landeral yanked my body forward, forcing me to follow closely behind or risk being dragged through the dirt and stone.

 _"Oh boy..."_ I thought to myself.

 _X's POV interrogation room, Black Iron Palace_

I could barely keep up. Landeral had to yank me several times to get my feet moving. He scoffed every time he did and yanked harder the more I lagged behind. When we finally got to the interrogation room, he sat me down, unshackled his cuff, and attached it to the leg of the table. Two guards stood ready as he left the room. Landeral shot me a look that said, "move and you'll be sorry you did", and he slammed the door shut. I looked around. The room was a lot nicer than I expected it to be. There were couches and tables with fruit bowls centered on them on the other side of the room. The walls were painted a pleasant green color, and the room itself was beautifully lit with a magnificent chandelier. If this was supposed to put my mind at ease about being interrogated, it worked, even if just a little bit.

Landeral entered the room once more. I looked at him with tired eyes and managed a weak smile.

"This is pretty nice for an interrogation room." I joked.

Landeral scoffed.

"This isn't the interrogation room numbskull, you're just here to meet your interrogators."

I did my best to look behind Landeral's stocky body. Two players stood proudly as the walked into the room. One of them wore all black and equipped an elegant looking sword to match.

" _The Black Swordsman, Kirito."_ I thought.

I turned my gaze to the other player. A female. Long, beautiful hair, mesmerizing eyes, and a white getup that matched the uniform of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Those guys gave my old guild a real tough time every now and then.

" _Lightning Flash Asuna, Sub-Leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath."_

I sat in the presence of two legendary players. It felt weird meeting them this way. I had always figured I'd meet them in battle. Three legends, two against one, fighting to decide each other's fates. I tried to stand to bow in respect, only to be met with a large hand clapping my shoulder, forcing me back into my seat. I looked up to meet Landeral's gaze.

"You move when I tell you to, speak when I tell you to, and listen when I tell you to. And right, now, I'm telling you to sit the hell down."

A bead of sweat dripped down my face. The situation was intense right off the bat, and I didn't want to make things worse. I nodded in acknowledgment and turned my gaze back to Kirito and Asuna. Their eye's were full of fire and anger. Understandable. My guild has recently been killing off all their agents that have been passing through our territory. I turned away and stared at the table. Whatever was about to happen, was going to be intense.

 **END CHAPTER 2**

 **WELL SO FAR I'D SAY IM HAPPY WITH THE WAY THIS STORY IS TURNING OUT. MY PROCESS USUALLY INVOLVES WRITING OUT A HEAPING PILE OF GARBAGE AND THEN REFINING IT INTO A ROUGH DIAMOND. YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES WHO SMOOTHEN IT OUT AND MAKE IT WORTH SOMETHING, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, IT'D BE MUCH APPRECIATED! THIS IS SHAMAJ, SIGNING OUT! SEE YOU IN CHAPTER 3: CONFESSIONS OF SIN**


	3. Chapter 3: Confess your Sin

**CHAPTER III: CONFESS YOUR SIN**

 _X's POV, Interrogation room_

I sat there in silence for what seemed like hours. Kirito and Asuna sat across from me, staring at me with merciless eyes. They meant business, and what that was? Well, I was about to find out. Landeral entered the empty room and tossed an all too familiar blade onto the table. The ring of the metal hilt hitting the table brought noise into a dead silent room. I swear you could cut the tension in the air with that blade. Kirito and Asuna looked at the blade in shock, and then at me.

"The Reaper Sword." Landeral announced as he leaned against the wall in the corner. "The infamous cursed blade used by the even more infamous Laughing Coffin guild member: Red Eye X."

I stared at the damned weapon. Its black aura mocked me, tortured me, and constantly reminded me of what I had done. How many innocent players I killed. I didn't know what to say, or how to react. All I knew was that there was blood on my hands. Stains that could never be washed away. I looked up from the blade and into Kirito's eyes.

"So, what do you want to know?" I asked, silently pleading to get this whole ordeal as quickly over with as possible.

Kirito looked at me.

"I want to know why you've been killing our scouts. What is LC getting out of killing innocent players? We're all trapped in here same as you. So why make everyone suffer more by taking everything away from them?"

I shrugged. It was probably not the best response, but what more could I do? I knew about as much of Laughing Coffin's motives as they did, and I was _a part_ of it. Everyone in Laughing Coffin had their own reasons for killing players. Some knew their victims from the real world and believed they wronged them, so they took revenge. Some just went crazy and couldn't cope with the idea of being stuck and ultimately killed in a video game. And others, the worst of them, just downright enjoyed it. They didn't believe the stories of dying in the real world. They didn't believe that the disabled log out feature was intentional, and that it was just a bug. They believed the developers of the game had made a huge mistake in the code and were frantically figuring out a way to get everyone out before they fixed any bugs. I met Asuna's gaze. I had yet to answer her question. I had to think of something to say.

"It should go unspoken that Laughing Coffin has their territory marked." I said. "Your scouts wandered into our territory and paid the price for doing so."

That's it? That's all I had to say? Man was I messing this up big time. No one could "claim" territory, not unless they bought a home on land that was able to be built on. Sure, there was plenty of spots out there, but those were in safe zones. Out in the field, where Laughing Coffin thrives, it's fair game for anyone.

"But what's the point?" Asuna chimed in; it was obvious she was getting annoyed. "Our scouts were just checking out the material and mobs in that area. And you can't claim territory out in the field! So, why kill them? Is it just because that's all you killers know how to do?"

I chuckled to myself. It did seem rather silly thinking about Laughing Coffin having a routine and agenda other than killing, but even they had some type of structure. I looked over to Asuna.

"As you know, the material's and monsters on each floor are finite and don't last forever. That is, the respawn rate is significantly reduced to make the game even more difficult for the players to traverse the floors and their respective maps. Laughing Coffin must have had significant reason and rare material drops from the mobs in the area and didn't want anyone from outside the guild getting their hands on it, as well as making sure anyone who spotted them wouldn't report them to any high-ranking guild that might interfere or stop the guild. The Knights of the Blood Oath, for example. But I wouldn't know too much about why. I wasn't a part of the party that killed your scouts."

"So why turn yourself in now?" Kirito asked. "I find it hard to believe that a LC guild member would just so happen to show up to a prison and willingly give himself up without an ulterior motive. Our scouts are killed and suddenly you, a legend amongst your guild, show up out of nowhere? Sounds suspicious if you ask me. What's your game Red Eye?"

I really hated that name. It was stained red with blood. Like any newbie to a game, I wanted to make a name for myself. One that stood out from the rest. One that people could instantly recognize whenever they heard it. Unfortunately for me, I got exactly what I wanted for all the wrong reasons.

"I-I was tired of killing." I muttered. "I wanted to make a name for myself, but not like this. I didn't want to be known as the Red Eyed Reaper."

Landeral scoffed from the corner of the room.

"So, what did you want then boy? What did you expect was going to happen? Laughing Coffin is known for its murderous guild members. Anyone who joins up with them knows what they're getting into, and the ones that make it in don't care about the consequences. They _want_ to kill!"

I sat back in my chair and shook my head. It's true that every member of Laughing Coffin has drawn blood, but the motives are never unified amongst the guild members.

"It's not that simple." I said. "Every member is always told something different, or always forced to join if they're lucky enough to be offered a spot in the guild. Even then, the one's who do know the truth about the guild always keep it a secret from the new recruits until it's too late. Once you're in, you're in for good."

Asuna must have heard something that peaked her curiosity. She leaned onto the table with her fingers laced, covering her mouth.

"So then Red Eye…What's your story then? If that's how it works in your guild then there's no way you should expect us to just take your word by saying you're out of the guild. Even now, looking at your username it still says you're a member of LC. So if you can't leave, what's the excuse as to why you're here?"

Story? It's much more than that. It's a fresh memory that reburns itself into my mind every day that passes by. It's an infection, a disease that eat away at my sanity. I knew every detail. I was silent for a while. Silent out of shame, silent out of sorrow, silent out of pain having to recall everything that I've done. Finally, I looked up at Kirito and Asuna and spoke.

"It's complicated and hard to explain. But the short version of it goes like this: When I was born, I was diagnosed with ocular albinism. Kids were afraid of me and often bullied me all throughout high school. My only comfort was in playing RPG's. I could be someone else; be the hero for once. When I finally managed to scrounge up the money for a Nerve Gear setup, SAO was the first game I got, like many. A few days after we all found out we weren't getting out of this game any time soon, I had found out that one of my worst high school bullies was a part of the raiding party to take on the floor boss. I was a part of the same party, so when he found out, he confronted me. You'd think after finding out we were both trapped in a video game, he'd be more compassionate and understanding. But he took it as a chance to comfort himself by going back to his old bullying. By then, I had been convinced by an early member of LC that the dying was all a hoax. He got inside my head, twisted my mind and thoughts. So, during the boss battle, I waited for my chance and…"

I couldn't continue. I knew it was a lousy excuse to kill because of petty childhood bullying, but when you find out your life is in the hands of a video game developer, your sense of logic and reasoning goes haywire.

"I killed him…." I said, my voice beginning to crack and shake. "I didn't want to. I knew it was wrong! I knew it! But once I started, I couldn't stop! He finally felt the pain I felt for years! I believed in a lie! I couldn't move until I saw it for myself! But he never respawned! He never respawned dammit!"

I was in hysterics. The memory of my first kill was like a finely sharpened blade piercing my mind. I clutched my head as if I was just hit with a steel bat. Landeral stood up from the wall, ready to grab me if I got too crazy. Kirito and Asuna looked at me. Whether it was out of pity or judgement, I couldn't tell. I had to get a grip on myself. No good would come out of losing myself. I sat up and took a deep breath. Even in the virtual world, my eyes felt puffy and tired. I continued.

"I knew my cursor would turn orange after that, so I kept my distance from the other raiders until they moved on to the next floor. I stayed in the boss room. I couldn't move. I didn't know what to do after that. Next thing I knew, the man who convinced me to do it was standing in front of me, grinning. He offered me a spot in his guild. He said that it was full of people just like me. People who were alone, afraid, looking to belong somewhere. I joined because…because I knew I would never have to be alone again. But it was more than that. I joined because I knew that I would never be welcomed anywhere- SAO or the real world. So, I joined them. And for a while, I enjoyed it. The thrill of sharing my pain with others! The adrenaline I felt when I ran my blade through my victims. I was feared. I became a legend amongst the guild and the guilds that hunted us. I landed the top five list amongst the Knights of The Blood Oath's most wanted list, and truthfully, it felt good. I finally felt like I had power! Like I wasn't just the freak with red eyes…"

I trembled. My hands shook, and my face was wet with sweat. I don't know how much of my story they believed, but that was the first time I ever told anyone. It was painful. Landeral sat up from the wall once more.

"And the sword." He stated. "How did you get that sword?"

That was something I also never forgot, although, the story isn't as long. I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"I got the Reaper Sword on the 30th floor. There was a secret sub-boss on the edge of the map that me and two other guild members went to fight. We managed to defeat it, but there was a catch: For the quest to end, one of us had to die. And the sub-boss chose who would die, and who would execute them. It chose me to play executioner, and my party leader to be the executed. Next thing I knew, I was holding the Reaper Sword in my hand. I couldn't drop it. It was as if the boss wouldn't let me drop it. I _had_ to do it, or we'd all die. But by then, I had already become a heavily involved member of the guild, so I didn't think much about it."

"And the third party member?" Kirito asked.

"It's strictly forbidden to kill anyone that's a part of the guild." I said. "I knew that if I didn't, I would be the next one to die so…I did what I had to do to survive. I told the other members that the sub-boss killed them both, and that I was left with this sword. It wasn't until later that I found out I would never be able to unequip it. It's cursed, and I deserve it."

The room fell silent. I didn't know what else to say. I just sat there and trembled. It felt like an eternity. The air in the room grew sour and pungent. It felt like I was suffocating. Finally, with tears welling up in my eyes, I looked at Kirito and Asuna.

"Tell me…" I began. "I need to know."

Asuna looked at Kirito.

"Know what?" She asked, looking back at me.

This was the moment. A question I've had on my mind every since my first kill. A question that dug its way into the core of my stained soul. I had to know. I would never get the chance to ask again, and I had to know now. With what little strength I had, I screamed, I yelled, I bellowed out with what little humanity I had left.

"IS THERE ANY HOPE OF REDEMPTION FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME!?"

 **END CHAPTER III**

 **I TELL YA BACK STORIES ARE A PAIN TO COME UP WITH. ON ONE HAND, TOO MUCH AND THE CHARACTER GETS ALL MUSHY, TOO LITTLE AND THEIR MOTIVES SEEM EXCESIVE OR STRANGE. THAT BEING SAID, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT! BEST PART ABOUT THIS SITE IS THAT WE CAN ALWAYS UPDATE AND CHANGE THE STORY A BIT TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN IT! LET ME KNOW WHAT YA THINK! SHAMAJ OUT!**


	4. Chapter 4: Untrusted

**CHAPTER IV: UNTRUSTED**

 _Asuna's POV, 22_ _nd_ _Floor, Asuna and Kirito's Home_

Redemption? It didn't make any sense. How could anyone like Red Eye X hope for a second chance after everything he's done? It's completely unforgivable. And yet, Kirito, as usual, is quick to decide for everyone else. It was four days ago, but the moment still burns fresh in my mind.

 _Four days ago, 1_ _st_ _Floor, Black Iron Palace_

 _I stared at Red Eye. I felt no pity for a murderer like him. The fact that he's even here is setting off all kinds of alarms in my mind and making my blood boil. What's he playing at? What's he up to? There must be something we're not seeing here. I snuck a look at Kirito. He's got that look in his eyes again. The look that tells me that there is something to gain out of situations like this. He usually ends up being right, but I'm not so sure it'll work out this time. It's Laughing Coffin after all. No one in their right mind would ever consider a situation like this, let alone expect a Laughing Coffin member to turn himself in. Kirito stood up and looked at Landeral, then to me. I quickly got out of my seat and walked out into the hallway, Landeral followed soon after, shooting a quick look at Red Eye to make sure he didn't try anything while we were out. Landeral closed the door behind him and turned to Kirito._

" _What're you thinking kid?" Landeral said, crossing his arms._

 _Kirito put a finger up to his chin, as if he were contemplating a plan._

" _Well for starters, it's definitely hard to trust Red Eye. There's obviously no way we can. He's a notorious member of LC known for his ruthless methods of killing. But there might be an advantage to having him here."_

 _There it was. Kirito's always thinking of how he can put the ball in his court. I stepped forward._

" _What do you have in mind Kirito?"_

" _We can prod a little deeper for more information of Laughing Coffins guild structure. That could give us an idea on how they pick their targets and where they would strike next. Then there's the matter of identifying their hideouts and how we could capture them without killing them if we can. And if possible, we can use Red Eye as backup. From what I've heard, he's a power house amongst his guild. We're up against people far worse than any floor boss. These people can think outside a program, change their tactics whenever they want. Even bosses that can change their attack patterns still have strict methods of how they attack. These guys are different. They're unpredictable. So, our best course of action is to fight fire with fire. No doubt LC has probably figured out that Red Eye can't send or receive messages while he's in jail, so they probably already know that something's up. If we keep him out of sight and away from other players, we might- "_

 _I had to step in at that part. Did he say, "keep him out of sight"?_

" _What you're saying implies that we're letting him out of jail Kirito." I said._

 _Kirito was silent. That's exactly what he was implying._

" _How can you even think of letting that monster loose again!? Whatever information we need, we can get from Landeral through interrogation!"_

 _Landeral nodded in agreement._

" _The Army has the best interrogation officers in any guild. Whatever we need from him will be out of his mouth and in the open before the day's done."_

 _Kirito shook his head._

" _That's just it. In theory that's the safest thing we can do. But, even with the best of the best, it would take too long to forward that information and send it through a text or audio track while out in the field. It'd be better to have him with us in case we have to change tactics on the fly, especially in battle with LC."_

 _What Kirito was saying started to sound like absolute crazy talk! I couldn't allow it, and there are times where I need to put my foot down!_

" _No! Absolutely not!" I screamed in protest. "We can't let Red Eye back out in the field! You saw him in there! He's out of his mind! What if he snaps again and tries to kill someone?"_

 _Kirito looked at me with a smug look on his face. Obviously, he's thought of everything within such a short amount of time._

" _That's why he'll be constantly monitored by high level players like you and me. We can't see other players levels, so we don't know for sure how strong Red Eye really is. He's obviously a high-level player though because he defeated a secret sub-boss. Their levels are usually a lot higher than the mobs on each floor, and often they're a lot tougher to beat than the floor boss. It'd be safer to keep a closer eye on him. We can't risk this whole thing being a trap he's setting up with his guild. So, he's going to have constant surveillance."_

 _He was right. I knew he was, but I couldn't bring myself to agree with him. There are plenty of other options that don't involve letting him loose again…But, this is the only pragmatic solution right now. Until something better comes along, we're going to have to let Red Eye go._

Red Eye X back in the field…It was a scary thought. So many variables that could cause this whole thing to go very wrong. But Kirito is a smart guy. If anyone knows what they're doing, it's him. I looked out into the forest. Kirito was playing with our Daughter Yui. I know it's all virtual, but often when I see them together, it makes me smile over how much a real family we are. That's something Red Eye couldn't possibly understand. And why I would never trust him, even if he has really turned himself in with hopes of redemption. I really hope this plan of Kirito's works. I don't want to have to stoop so low as to become an orange player like Red Eye, but I will if I must.

 _X's POV_

I sat there in my cell. It's been four days since the interrogation and I still have no clue what they talked about or what's going to happen to me. Landeral just kept brushing me off. "Sit in your corner boy" is all he would tell me whenever I asked. I looked up out in between the bars of my cell. The stench of mold finally cleared out of my nose, but it was still so very strange to be behind bars. It all sank in a while back though. I was a criminal now. A murderer. And a murderer belongs behind bars. Now all that was left was to wait for punishment. I just wish it would come faster.

As if some higher power heard my silent plea, Landeral suddenly appeared in front of my cell door. He looked at me with eyes full of fire. Today is the day. I can feel it. I'll finally pay for my crimes. What'll it be? Death by mobs? Being forced to leap off the edge of the map into the endless abyss of clouds? Or maybe they'll just send me back to LC to get a taste of my own medicine. Whatever it was going to be, it couldn't come fast enough.

"On your feet boy." Landeral commanded.

I slowly stood to my feet. It was hard to maneuver in heavy chains. I walked to the cell door and looked Landeral in the eyes.

"Today's the day huh?"

Landeral scoffed.

"As much as I hate to say it, no. There's something else I'm here to tell you."

What? What could it possibly be? Why is my suffering being drawn out so much? How long am I going to have to wait for my own retribution? Landeral opened the cell door. Suddenly, I felt my heavy chains lighten up. I looked at my wrists. I looked at my feet. They were gone…My shackles were gone. I looked back at Landeral, confused.

"You're sentenced to aid in the capture of the Laughing Coffin guild. Asuna is waiting for outside by the main entrance. You'll get your gear back on the way. Everything except your teleport crystals and potions. You'll only be able to carry healing potions. And as much as I hate the thought of giving you back that damned sword, you can't equip anything else anyway, so you'll get that back as well."

I'm free to go? No…there must be some mistake here. I belong here, I'm _staying_ in here! I grabbed the cell door and slammed it shut.

"You're out of your mind!" I screamed at Landeral. "I came here on my own! This is where I'm staying!"

Landeral growled at me.

"You think I _want_ your sorry ass anywhere other than here!? If it were up to me, you'd be rotting in here until the game was cleared! But the Knights of the Blood Oath have something else in mind for you boy! Now get your ass up, and let's go!"

The Knights of the Blood Oath? What could they possibly want with me now? I'm already in prison. What harm can I do to anyone in here?

"You don't understand Landeral. How many times do I have to say it? I came here willingly, and this is where I choose to stay! Now please, close the cell door and leave me in here!"

Landeral shoved the cell door open and lunged for me. His massive fist took a clump of my shirt, and he lifted me high into the air above his head. This massive brute of a man could probably toss a boulder over his shoulder without breaking a sweat.

"Listen here you little runt!" He screamed. "You're not being released! You still have repercussions to pay when we get out of this game! Right now, you're carrying out the obligations of your sentence! Remember that little discussion we had a few days back? _I_ call the shots here, so when I tell you to jump, the _only_ question coming out of your mouth is "how high"! Now get your sorry ass moving!"

Landeral heaved me over his shoulder and tossed me out of my cell as if I were a ragdoll. I crashed to the ground, and man did it hurt. I sat up, a purple box that read _"immortal object"_ replaced the would be cracks that the impact would have left in the ground. Suddenly, Landeral's massive hand lunged for my shirt again and hoisted me to my feet. Landeral glared at me with fire in his eyes.

"You used to be a ruthless killer Red Eye. I've heard the stories about you! A one-man army, an unstoppable force! You were the Red Eyed Reaper! Now look at you! A sorry excuse of a man, wallowing in his own self-pity! It's pathetic! No matter what you did in the past, grow a pair and get over it! You've done too much to feel sorry for yourself now! You want redemption!? Well this is your chance boy! Show us you're worth redeeming!"

Landeral set me down and shoved me towards the exit of the hallway. I don't know if that was supposed to be motivational or if he was just plain angry that he was letting me go. But I knew he was right about one thing: I've done too much, taken too much to feel sorry for myself. Maybe he was right about this being a golden opportunity to do something other than killing senselessly. I know I could never _truly_ atone for my sins, but I had to do something. I stared at the empty hallway and then back at Landeral. I began to walk, Landeral followed close behind. I passed by Maddox's cell and shot him a look. He stared back with a wicked grin on his face. He lunged for me, his arms barely reaching out to me, my face just inches away from his grasp.

"I'm getting out next Red Eye!" He snickered and laughed. "And when I do, I'm going to cut you open like a fish! Ooooh I can't wait to get my hands on that skin of yours! HeheHeheheheHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"

Maddox is a crazed maniac for sure, but I knew there was no real threat to his words. There was no way he was being let out here anytime soon. But, I was just as insane as Maddox in other ways. I'm still confused as to why they're letting me out.

 _Asuna's POV 1_ _st_ _Floor, Black Iron Palace_

I stood there, nervous, angry, annoyed. You name it. I hated the fact that _I_ had to be the one to get Red Eye while Kirito went out on a quest with Liz and Silica. Of all the nerve…

I snapped out of my own thought when Landeral appeared in front of me. I straightened myself up. No way was I going to look unprofessional in front of Red Eye. He needed to know who was calling the shots. I am the second in command for the highest-ranking guild in SAO after all. I greeted Landeral and then got straight to business.

"Is he ready to go?"

Landeral rubbed the back of his head.

"He gave me a bit of a whine back in his cell, but he's all ready to go. Only thing he needs now is his sword."

Landeral looked behind him and motioned for the guards to bring the cursed weapon and shot another look to someone else behind him.

"Quit hiding behind the corner and get your ass out here boy!" He screamed.

Suddenly, a lone figure stepped out into the open. He was clothed in a sleeveless jacket with red trim down the front. He wore studded gloves and spiked steel toed boots and had a chain belt with a skull buckle. Two chains hung from both of his pockets on his black trousers. To complete the look, the figure wore a red facial scarf to cover his nose and mouth. All I could see was his jet-black spikey hair and his red eyes. Then I felt it. It hit me like a rush of water crashing over me from all sides. The air grew thick, the tension rose high. I couldn't breathe. I was staring into the eyes of one of the most infamous killers in SAO: The Red Eyed Reaper himself. Red Eye X, member of the Laughing Coffin guild. I'd be lying if I said his look wasn't intimidating. But, he was in _my_ command now, and I won't let his look scare me off. I looked back at him with equal intensity in my eyes. He looked away. A single bead of sweat dropped down from his face. Is this _really_ the Red Eyed reaper everyone's been so afraid of?

"Red Eye." I said coldly. That was the only greeting he'd ever get from me.

Red Eye looked back at me in surprise. He bowed low.

"Vice Commander. Thank you for allowing me to help anyway I c- "

"Stop right there!" I screamed angrily.

Red Eye looked up at me in shock.

"Don't you _dare_ bow or greet me! I'm not here as your friend! I'm not here to be nice! I'm here to make sure you fulfill your duty and help the Knights of the Blood Oath capture the rest of you killers!"

Red Eye was silent. He stood back up and nodded. He understood his place. Good. Setting him straight early will help me deal with this foolishness a lot easier now. The guards carried over Red Eyes weapon and looked at Landeral.

"Well, go on." He stated. "We don't have all day. Give him his sword and let's get this thing started."

The guards reluctantly handed Red Eye's blade to him. He stared at it. I saw fear in his eyes. Fear of his own sword? Oh brother…

Red Eye finally reached for his sword. It almost looked like it was painful for him to wield. He sheepishly slung the scabbard over his back and adjusted the blade to fit comfortably. He looked at me to and nodded. He was finally ready to go. Took him long enough. Landeral leaned over to me and whispered into my ear.

"If he causes you guys any trouble, just say the word and I'll haul his ass back here. Maximum security, no food for a week, you know, the works."

I smiled at Landeral. The Army wasn't the cleanest guild out there, but Landeral was one of the few I knew I could trust. Working with him always gave the troops a boost of confidence.

"Thanks, Landeral, I'll be sure to keep you updated as we conduct the operation. You'll also be hearing from me and the Commander for any future joint operations we conduct. I'm sure there will be plenty considering who we're up against."

Landeral nodded in approval and turned to Red Eye.

"Don't screw this up boy. I don't want to soil my name, but I don't mind being an Orange Player for a while if I must be. If I even get _one_ bad report, it'll be your ass."

Red Eye looked at the floor and began to walk. I followed behind, keeping a close eye on him. This was going to be a long day.

 _X's POV 1_ _st_ _Floor, Town of Beginnings plaza_

This felt so wrong. Being back in my old uniform, wielding my cursed blade once more. I felt dirty. I felt low. No doubt Asuna felt the same about me. The way she lashed at me back at the palace gave me the message loud and clear. Everyone wanted me dead. And I deserved it. I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to do a job. Whether I lived or died didn't matter to anyone. It made sense in a way. I capture LC members, or I die trying. Either way, that was one less LC member to worry about. I stopped walking and turned to Asuna.

"Where to Vice Commander?" I asked.

Suddenly, a long slender blade pressed its sharp blade against my throat. I didn't even see it coming. Even in a safe zone, the tip of the blade still stung. I looked down at Asuna and met her steely eyed gaze.

"Let's get something straight here Red Eye. I don't like this one bit. I don't like _you_ one bit. I don't care about your sob story, so don't go around thinking that you'll get any pity from me or Kirito or anyone else. You've got one job and one job only and you better do it."

I gulped hard. Asuna meant business. And knowing her reputation, when she got serious, you'd better take her word for anything.

"If I even _think_ you might do something to hurt Kirito or my friends, you won't have to worry about Landeral, because I'll _personally_ make sure that it's game over for you. You got that?"

Asuna's eyes pierced into my mind as sharply as her rapier pierced into my skin. I knew I was strong, hell if things were different and I was still the way I used to be, this blade wouldn't have even fazed me one bit. But, Asuna was equally as strong if not stronger than me. She was serious, and I'd be a fool if I took her words lightly. I nodded in understanding, and she drew her blade away from my neck and back into her scabbard. She continued to glare at me before she walked towards the teleport gate in the center of the plaza. I kept my distance but followed behind. This was going to be a long day.

 **END CHAPTER IV**

 **MAN, I'M SO EXCITED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING! IT'S TIME FOR SOME ACTION! TIME FOR SOME SWORD FIGHTS! TIME FOR SOME VIOLENCE! I WONDER, WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK SO FAR? ARE YOU LIKING THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING? ARE YOU LIKING THE DRAMA AND THE TENSION? I SURE HOPE SO! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I'LL SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! SHAMAJ OUT!**


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